Grace; misanthrope // Jai Brooks

Chapter 9

We went to a dress boutique to search for something to wear. I had never gone to a dance before so this was my first time dress hunting. I didn't even know where to start.

"What about something like this?" Chloe said, tugging on a dress so I could see it.

I cringed and shook my head. Bella and Chloe had already found dresses they liked, so now they were focused on helping me. We'd been in the shop for nearly an hour when the boutique lady approached me.

"How about this?" She said.

She held a stunning mauve colored gown by its hanger.  I gratefully took it from her and went to the changing room. I hardly looked at myself in the mirror for a minute, admiring the off-the-shoulder straps that fell gracefully off my shoulders. I pranced out of the changing room and spun around, the skirt of the dress spinning beautifully. My friends squealed and the boutique lady smiled to herself with self satisfaction.

"This is the one!" I said.

Voting for Winter ball king and queen started that week at school. In study hall on Monday, Jai asked me if I had voted yet.

"No," I replied.

"Well, here is my plan. I'm thinking we pull a "Carrie", and hang buckets above the stage with some rope. When David and Emma are announced king and queen, we pull the rope and boom," he says. "They are soaked,"

"Soaked with what?" I grinned.

Jai shrugged. "In the movie it was pig's blood. I'm thinking we just use red paint,"

"Good thinking," I said, raising my eyebrows. "But how will we get the buckets up there?"

"Luke is on the dance committee so he's gonna help set up the decorations. He can help us."

I listened contently, trying to make sure there weren't any holes in his plan.

"So what do you need me for?"

"Well there will be two buckets. Two buckets means two ropes. We'll each be on either side of the stage, behind the curtains. I need you to pull the other rope,"

Something in his tone of voice made me feel important, critical even, to this operation. Jai needed me, and that made me feel like I was a necessary component when it came to payback on Emma Cabot.

I nodded at Jai, letting him know I understood my role. He stuck his fist out and I bumped my fist to his, smiling. I turned back around and faced forward in my seat. I tried to begin studying but I felt awfully excited about not only getting revenge on two of the biggest bullies in the school, but teaming up with Jai Brooks, who also had been one of my bullies. Having common enemies seemed to have drawn us together.

At the end of the day I sat in statistics, David Waters annoyingly chomping his gum at his desk behind mine. I smiled devilishly to myself, thinking about David soaked in paint in front of everyone at the Winter ball. Class was over before I knew it and I was on my way to my locker to gather my things so I could head home for the day. I saw Jai Brooks and his friends coming down the hallway in my direction. Jai looked at me and got my attention, his friends seemed confused.

"I'll catch up with you in a minute," he told Luke and the others as they kept on their way. "Hi," he said to me, holding the straps of his backpack.

"Hi," I said, slightly confused, myself.

"So, we should probably exchange numbers so we can be sure this thing goes off without a hitch,"

I looked left and right as he spoke to me, wondering what people were thinking at the fact that one of the most popular guys in the school had approached me at my locker. Jai didn't seem bothered.

"Alright," I hesitantly said, sliding my phone out from my back pocket and handing it to him.

He put his number in my phone then sent himself a text message. He then handed my phone back to me.

"See ya," he said, flashing me a smile and catching up to his friends.

I looked down at my phone. He had put his name in my phone as "Jai :)" and texted himself the kiss blowing emoji. I shook my head and chuckled to myself.